The Best Power Supplies for 2018

We rated, reviewed, & compared 15 of the best power supplies across various budgets. These top gaming PSUs are perfect for gamers who are looking to build a new gaming PC.

One component that often gets overlooked during the component-choosing process is the power supply. However, without a power supply there is no way that your computer can even run. And, your power supply is also important because the quality of the PSU you choose now will dictate what other components you can put into your computer right now and down the road.

So, even though your gaming power supply won’t give you a higher framerate or allow you to play on a 1440p monitor, it’s still a very important component. Therefore, you need to take your time in order to make sure that you choose a high-quality gaming computer power supply.

In this post, we will take a look at the best gaming power supplies in 2018. I’ve broken down the categories into wattage mainly because there are a ton of different PSU tier lists out there and I feel like it would be easier for builders to search by the wattage they need. So, there are four different categories: the best power supplies over 1000W, the best power supplies between 800W-1000W, the best power supplies between 600W-800W, and the best power supplies between 400W-600W.

There are multiple options for each wattage range, but know that this list doesn’t include every quality power supply out there. Some have been omitted, not because they aren’t quality units, but rather in order to keep this list from getting out of control. I will continue to update this list on a regular basis to ensure that choosing a power supply is easy as possible.

A Quick Look at the Best Power Supplies for Gaming

If you want to skip all of the detailed overviews and just find a power supply that will work for you, the four power supplies below are our picks for the best options for various scenarios. We’ve picked the best PSU for extreme users, the best unit for users who are building a high-end computer, the best power supply for those who are looking for an option that offers excellent value for the performance it offers, and the best option for anyone who needs an affordable power supply that is good enough to run a single GPU setup with no problems.

*If you want to read our full overviews on our top picks, just click the “Read Review »” button. You can also keep scrolling down to find more options based on your specific budget.

FAQ: Questions to Ask Before You Buy A Power Supply

Below, we’ve put together a list of four important questions to ask before your purchase a power supply. The answers to these questions will give you a better understanding of how to differentiate between the various power supplies that are available on the market.

1. How Many Watts Do I Need for My Gaming PC?

One of the biggest areas where first-time builders get confused is on how many watts they need for the PC they are building. In the most simplest of terms, a typical single graphics card gaming PC will require anywhere from a 400W to a 650W power supply in order to run.

However, the exact wattage range of power supplies you should be looking at will be determined by the kind of components you will put into your system.

And, the main component that will draw the most power (and, thus, determine how big of a power supply you will need) is your graphics card.

The bigger the graphics card you get, the higher the power capacity you will need from your power supply.

But it’s also important to note that a power suppl’s wattage rating isn’t always a good determining factor on whether or not it will work for you. Many low-quality brands put out “800W” power supplies by bending the rules of testing their units, when in reality, their power supply might really be what other companies are calling a 500W power supply.

So, it’s important that you not only look for a power supply that will provide enough power to your components, but also one that is a quality unit that displays an accurate wattage rating. Fortunately, in the guide below, we’ve given you a bunch of different options at various wattage capacities that you can choose between.

This will allow you to rest assured that you aren’t choosing a cheap low-quality power supply that is marketed as a high-end unit.

2. What is the +12V Rail?

The +12V rail on a power supply is, in a lot of ways, a much better indicator of what kind of system that power supply can handle. This is because the +12V rail on a power supply is responsible for delivering power to your two most power-hungry components (as well as other components): your GPU and CPU.

So, one way to tell if a power supply is a cheap unit is to compare its +12V rating to other power supplies in the same price range. For instance, if an 850W power supply from an unknown manufacturer has a +12V rail of 28A, and you see that other 850W power supplies have over 60A on their +12V rail, then it’s safe to say that the unit from the unknown manufacturer is lying about the true capacity of their power supply.

The +12V rail rating of the PSU you are looking at is also a better way to determine what graphics cards it can support, rather than relying simply on wattage. Most graphics card manufacturers put out minimum power supply recommendations that are actually higher than what the graphics card will draw. And, they likely do this because there are a lot of power supplies out there that list higher wattage capacities than they can truly deliver under extreme situations.

But if you don’t want to overspend on a power supply, you can check the minimum +12V rail rating required for the graphics card you are considering purchasing by using this list. And, then from there you can look for a power supply that has a +12V rail that has a higher rating than the graphics card you are looking at has.

3. What is an 80Plus Rating?

The 80Plus certification is a voluntary program that power supply manufacturers can use to determine the efficiency of their units. PSU manufacturers that want to get their power supplies 80Plus rated send in their units to an independent lab who then tests the units to determine their efficiency.

The efficiency of a power supply is determined by how much power is lost during the conversion from AC power (from your wall) to DC power (which goes to your components). The more power that is lost during this conversion, the less efficient the power supply is and vice-versa.

And, the test looks at how efficient the power supply is when it is under different loads. The higher load any power supply is under, the less efficient it will become. But some higher-end power supplies are able to minimize the amount of power that is lost during the conversion even at higher loads. And, those units will earn a higher 80Plus rating (Gold, Platinum, or Titanium).

So, the 80Plus rating on a power supply essentially lets you know how efficient that power supply is. It isn’t the end-all-be-all determiner of power supply quality—especially at the lower 80Plus ratings (like Bronze and Standard).

However, if a power supply has a higher 80Plus rating (typically above Silver), then it is likely a solid unit.

For people who are looking to build a budget-friendly gaming PC, though, you’ll likely be forced to choose between 80Plus Bronze units. And, there are a lot of 80Plus Bronze units that aren’t the greatest options and there are other 80Plus Bronze units that are really good options (especially when price is factored in).

If you look through the list below you’ll see my recommendation for units like Corsair’s CXM series, which are Bronze rated units that are great options for the price.

Ultimately, though, the 80Plus rating will give you a little bit better idea of what kind of efficiency a power supply will bring to the table, but it isn’t a perfect indicator of power supply quality.

4. Should I Get A Modular Power Supply?

Modular power supplies come with one big upside and one downside. The upside, obviously, is that modular power supplies are easier to work with. Non-modular power supplies come with a big bundle of cables and if you build a system that doesn’t need some of those cables, you’re then forced to figure out how to hide them and get them out of the way of your build.

The downside is that modular power supplies cost more than non-modular power supplies. So, some first-time builders who are working with a tight budget may have to choose between paying more for a modular power supply or saving money and getting a non-modular power supply.

The difference in money-saved in some cases could be the difference between the builder being able to get a better graphics card—which is going to have a bigger impact on that gamer’s in-game performance.

So, the bottom line is that, whether or not you should get a modular power supply will come down to how much you have to spend on a new build or upgrade, and if you have a tight budget, whether or not you are willing to sacrifice some convenience and aesthetics in order to put more money towards other components.

If you are considering building your own PC and you need help choosing a power supply for your build, please post your questions in the comment section below so that we can help you out!

1000W+ POWER SUPPLIES

There aren’t a whole lot of gamers out there who will ever have the need to use a power supply larger than 1000W in their gaming computers.

Really, the power supplies in this range are monsters and are best suited for enthusiasts looking to build extreme setups.

So, if you’re not looking to run 3-way or 4-way SLI/CrossFire and overclock your CPU and video card to record-breaking levels, there really isn’t need for such a large power supply.

However, if you are one of the few immortals that require enough power to run a small village, then these 1000W+ units will serve you well.

1000W+ PSU REVIEWS (CLICK ‘READ REVIEW’ TO EXPAND)

If you are looking to set overclocking records, or you want to run four GTX 1080 Tis in quad-SLI, then the EVGA SuperNOVA 1600 T2 might be what you’re looking for. With 1600W of power, an 80Plus Titanium rating, and 133.3A on its +12v rail, the SuperNOVA 1600 T2 is in a tier of its own and will be more than enough for even the biggest of builds.Learn More

TECH SPECS

WATTS

1600W

+12V RAIL

133.3A

MODULAR?

Fully

RATING

80Plus Titanium

WARRANTY

10-Years

EVGA SuperNOVA 1600 T2 Review

It wasn’t too long ago that EVGA power supplies weren’t highly regarded. Now, though, it seems like every power supply they make is winning awards and being raved over.

They can now claim to have one of the biggest and best power supplies on the market with the SuperNOVA 1600W T2.

The 1600W T2 sports a whopping 133.3A on the 12v rail, it’s rated 80Plus Titanium, and it comes with an industry-leading 10-year warranty.

In reality, the SuperNOVA 1600W T2 won’t be practical for 99% of users, but if you’re looking to build an extreme quad video card setup and you’re trying to overclock your CPU to ungodly levels, then this thing should do the trick.

The Seasonic SSR-1200 PD is a 1200W full modular power supply with 100A+ 12V and an 80Plus Platinum rating. It delivers the stable output you expect from the Seasonic Prime series, but it is a pricey choice. The built-in 135mm fan and 12-year warranty set it apart from others in this category.Learn More

TECH SPECS

WATTS

1200W

+12V RAIL

100A

MODULAR?

Fully

RATING

80Plus Platimum

WARRANTY

12-Year Limited

Seasonic SSR-1200PD Review

The latest from Seasonic’s Prime Series, the SSR-1200 PD is a 1200W full modular power supply that boasts an 80 PLUS Platinum certification which guarantees it will operate at a high level of efficiency no matter what you throw at it.

This model has an Intel ATX 12V form factor and can operate EPS 12V. The SSR-1200 comes with a 135mm FDB fan to keep it cool and performing well under pressure. Like other models in Seasonic’s PRIME series, it uses advanced circuit design and utilizes the best possible components to minimize the sound output of the system, making it a quiet choice for your build.

The fully modular cables give you full control over your build, and the gold-plated connector terminals give you increased overall power efficiency by lowering transmission resistance.

Seasonic achieves their near perfect violate regulation (under 0.5% and under 1% for 1000W and above) with this new design, combining electoral performance and dynamic response for the impressive results.

The +12V rail can run 100A, making it capable of handling even the largest setup and advanced gaming technology. If you run multiple GPU’s, this power supply can give you the juice you need to do it without compromising your system.

While it is pricier than its predecessors, it comes with a 12-year manufacturer warranty which is one of the best the industry.

The EVGA SuperNOVA 1000 T2 is another Titanium-rated power supply that will work well for dual or triple SLI systems. There is the P2 version (platinum) that costs quite a bit less, though, that should work well for most users.Learn More

TECH SPECS

WATTS

1000W

+12V RAIL

83.3A

MODULAR?

Fully

RATING

80Plus Titanium

WARRANTY

10-Years

EVGA SuperNOVA 1000 T2 Review

There are only a handful 80Plus Titanium-rated power supplies currently on the market and EVGA has a couple of them.

The EVGA SuperNOVA 1000W T2 is a great option for anyone who is looking for one of the best—if not the best—1000W power supplies on the market.

The 1000 T2 comes with a very respectable 83.3A on the 12V rail that are capable of delivering a max of 1200W of power at 50°C. That’s not anything like what the 1500W and 1600W units listed above can provide, but for 99% of gamers looking to build a system, 83.3A on the 12V rail will be ridiculously overkill.

Essentially, though, if you’re looking to run two or three of today’s top video cards in SLI or CrossFire, then this 1000 watt power supply will be enough to get the job done.

And, with a 10-year warranty you can rest assured that this will be the only power supply you have to buy for the next decade or so…

It should also be noted, that there is the P2 version, which is the “ECO” friendly versions. It’s not Titanium-rated, but it is Platinum rated and it costs over $100 less. So, if you don’t want to spend nearly $300 on this 1000W power supply, definitely take a look at the P2 version.

The Corsair RMx 1000 is a serious PSU for the gamer who wants high performance without the noise. It is a very efficient unit unless tested at higher ambient temperatures and loads. Its fair ripple suppression is another issue to consider. However, with a few design tweaks, Corsair has a winner.Learn More

TECH SPECS

WATTS

1000W

+12V RAIL

83.3A

MODULAR?

Fully

RATING

80Plus Gold

WARRANTY

10-Years

Corsair RM1000x Review

The Corsair RMx 1000 PSU is an 80 Plus Gold certification unit with a rated output of 1000W at 40°C ambient that takes on the challenge of high and silent performance. It’s a tall order no matter how you slice it. Corsair succeeded with a highly efficient and well-made product—and at an affordable price for what it delivers.

The RMx Series includes six models from 450W to 1000W. At the high end, this PSU is aimed at the serious gamer. It has a 135mm rifle-bearing fan with a “zero-RPM fan mode” that kicks in at about a 40 percent load, in keeping with its emphasis on silent operation. A sticker on the front of the PSU reminds users that it’s normal for the fan not to spin unless under a heavier load.

The RMx 1000 features a fully modular cabling design with connectors galore with eight PCIe and two EPS connectors like all the RM units. The RM 1000 uses a single +12V rail which delivers more than 83 A to feed power-hungry systems. The OEM is CWT (Channel Well Technology).

In terms of performance, it operates efficiently even at low loads. In transient load tests, the RM 1000’s +12 V rail had minimal deviation, meaning it stayed well within the regulation limits of ATX specs. On the downside, it fell short with ripple on +12V rail exceeding 90 mV. And full power taps out at about 45°C ambient.

Visually, it’s a slick-looking unit with embossed ridges, a rimmed bottom, and chamfered edges on its matte black chassis. However, it is longer than typical ATX PSUs at 180mm long. The overall design is mean without going over the top.

800-1000W POWER SUPPLIES

Even a power supply in the 800W-1000W range is going to be overkill for 90% of gamers.

Again, unless you’re planning on running multiple video card configurations now or in the future and getting into some extreme system tuning, there really isn’t a need for this much power.

If, however, you want to run a 2-way SLI/CrossFire setup with two high-end video cards, then a solid 850W power supply will do the trick. And, these units will give you plenty of headroom to build a ridiculous setup.

It should be noted, too, that while the EVGA SuperNOVA T2 is listed here, the EVGA SuperNOVA P2 is excluded. It’s not that the P2 version isn’t a good power supply… in fact, it’s a very solid option…

However, it doesn’t have the quite the efficiency that the T2 has and, so, in order to include the best, I went with the T2 option instead. But, if you’re looking to save some money, the P2 line is a good choice as well.

800-1000W+ PSU REVIEWS (CLICK ‘READ REVIEW’ TO EXPAND)

If you’re building a dual SLI or CrossFireX setup, then a quality 850W PSU will be a good option. And, if you’re looking for the best 850W PSU on the market, the EVGA SuperNOVA 850 T2 is definitely an option you want to look at. With 70.8A on the +12v rail and an 80Plus Titanium rating, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better option.Learn More

TECH SPECS

WATTS

850W

+12V RAIL

70.8A

MODULAR?

Fully

RATING

80Plus Titanium

WARRANTY

10-Years

EVGA SuperNOVA 850 T2 Review

To continue on with EVGA’s dominance on this list, we have the SuperNOVA 850W T2. Again, I could also include the SuperNOVA P2 on this list, as it will offer similar performance, but it has a lower efficiency rating and so I wanted to include the best option possible.

Of course, if you’re looking to save some money without sacrificing too much, then the P2 version will definitely be a worthy option.

Ultimately, though, the 850W T2 offers an incredibly efficient power supply that has the ability to run just about any dual video card setup you could possibly want to go with.

And, just like the other SuperNOVAs listed above, it comes with an astounding 10-year warranty.

Or, in other words, EVGA is so sure of the product they are selling, that they are betting on it not failing after an entire decade of use.

The Corsair AX860 has 71A on its +12V rail and it has an 80Plus Platinum rating. And, despite not earning as high of an efficiency rating as the EVGA unit listed above, it does come in at a lower cost. Ultimately, it’s a great option for dual GPU setups.Learn More

TECH SPECS

WATTS

860W

+12V RAIL

71A

MODULAR?

Fully

RATING

80Plus Platinum

WARRANTY

7-Year Limited

Corsair AX860 Review

Another phenomenal power supply for all of you Corsair diehards out there is the Corsair AX860. It doesn’t reach the Titanium rating that the Corsair AX1500i reaches, but it is still Platinum rated, which means that, aside from the handful of Titanium-rated units on the market, it is one of the most efficient options available.

It comes with 71A on the 12V rail, a 7-year limited warranty, and a fully modular design… or, in other words, even if you want to build the best gaming PC possible with a single video card (or even dual video cards), then this unit will be more than enough for your needs.

Despite not having an 80Plus Titanium rating like the EVGA SuperNOVA 850 T2 listed above, it does come in at a lower price, despite being able to deliver similar performance.

On the other, hand, though, the options listed below are even less expensive, and while they don’t quite have the efficiency rating, they are still good enough to run most dual video card systems quite easily.

However, if you’re a Corsair fan, or you are building a Black and Red themed build, then this unit does make sense and you definitely won’t be disappointed with it if you decide to go with it over the other options listed here.

Another solid ~850W power supply is the SeaSonic X-850. It’s not nearly as expensive as the two options listed above and it comes with 70A on the +12V rail. It’s not as efficient (80Plus Gold) as the other options listed above, but it should still handle any dual GPU system just fine.Learn More

TECH SPECS

WATTS

850W

+12V RAIL

70A

MODULAR?

Fully

RATING

80Plus Gold

WARRANTY

7-Years

SeaSonic X-850 Review

Here’s another exceptional SeaSonic unit… the X-850. At under $130, it is an incredibly affordable high-end unit that can be used for even the most extreme setups (running dual video cards.)

It has 70A on the 12V rail, it comes fully modular, and it achieves the 80Plus Gold rating. It also comes with a 7-year warranty.

It’s not quite as polished as the EVGA SuperNOVA T2, but it is much cheaper, and it will meet the needs of pretty much any gamer looking to build a single or dual video card system.

If you are looking for the most efficiency possible, though, then the SuperNOVA T2 is probably the better option. Ultimately, it is another solid tier 2 PSU option to consider if you need the best power supply for gaming.

600-800W POWER SUPPLIES

The 600W-800W range is the high-end for single video card setups and the low-end for 2-way SLI/CrossFire setups.

A quality 700W-750W power supply will allow you to run two moderate video cards in SLI/CrossFire configuration. So, that makes PSUs in this range great for anyone who wants the option to upgrade in the future.

These power supplies will also give you quite a bit of headroom for system tuning if you’re building a high-end single video card setup.

However, even if you do want to use a high-end video card like the GTX 1080 Ti, a quality 600 watt power supply will give you enough power as well.

600-800W+ PSU REVIEWS (CLICK ‘READ REVIEW’ TO EXPAND)

EVGA has a ton of quality power supplies in the 600-800W range. However, I chose the SuperNOVA 750 P2 as the top option due to its price and performance. It’s not quite as efficient as the 750 T2, but it does come in at a significantly lower price and it is solid enough to run most dual-GPU setups.Learn More

TECH SPECS

WATTS

750W

+12V RAIL

62.4A

MODULAR?

Fully

RATING

80Plus Platinum

WARRANTY

10-Years

EVGA SuperNOVA 750 P2 Review

In all honesty, I could list 5-6 different EVGA power supplies in this wattage range simply because EVGA has so many good options available.

There’s the EVGA SuperNOVA T2 750, the P2 750 (listed), the P2 650, the G2 750, the G2 650, the GS 650 and 750, and the GQ 650 and 750.

However, to present a wide range of options I’ve dediced to only list the 750W P2 and 650W G2 version of the SuperNOVA series, even though all of the above-mentioned are worthy.

Ultimately, though, with 62.4 A on the 12V rail, the SuperNOVA 750 P2 has more than enough power to handle any single card setup out there and even most dual card setups as well.

And, of course, it’s backed with a 10-year warranty from EVGA, which is incredible as it gives you peace of mind in knowing that your power supply is being backed for an entire decade.

The Corsair AX760 is a very similar unit to the EVGA SuperNOVA P2. However, it is a bit more expensive and has a shorter warranty. Still, if you’re building a black/red themed build and you want a quality PSU, it will get the job done.Learn More

TECH SPECS

WATTS

760W

+12V RAIL

63A

MODULAR?

Fully

RATING

80Plus Platinum

WARRANTY

7-Years

Corsair AX760 Review

Another sub-800 watt power supply that is 80Plus Platinum rated is Corsair’s AX760. It has 63A on its 12V rail and will power any single graphics card setup out there (and just about any dual graphics card setup as well.)

However, at right about ~$150, it’s tough to recommend over the EVGA SuperNOVA 750 P2 (or even the 850 P2), which is quite a bit cheaper and offers a longer warranty all while maintaining similar performance.

Still, though, Corsair is a popular brand for a reason and they do not lack for a large crowd of loyal fans. So if you are one of those loyal fans, the Corsair AX760 is definitely a solid option…

It’s just going to cost you quite a bit more for similar performance to what you would get from other units listed here.

If you want a really good quality power supply, but you don’t have a large budget, the Seasonic S12G 750W is a quality unit. The one downside, though, is that the unit is not modular. But if you don’t mind having a non-modular unit, then this is definitely a solid option.Learn More

TECH SPECS

WATTS

750W

+12V RAIL

62A

MODULAR?

Semi

RATING

80Plus Gold

WARRANTY

5-Years

SeaSonic FOCUS 750 Review

We originally had the SeaSonic S12G unit here, but it has since gone out of stock. No worries, though, as the SeaSonic FOCUS 750 is essentially the same power supply, but a bit newer, and it is semi-modular instead of non-modular.

The FOCUS 750 is a solid option for anyone who is looking for a power supply that will allow them to run dual video cards but that won’t cost them over $100.

This power supply has 62A on the 12V rail and comes with a 5-year warranty. It’s also 80Plus Gold rated, so while not quite as efficient as the two Platinum units listed above, it’s still pretty darn efficient.

And, it’s also quite a bit more affordable than the other units listed above, despite offering similar performance. The semi-modular design is also a nice addition and will help anyone who wants to have really clean cable management.

If you’re looking for an affordable power supply that has a big enough capacity to run most single video card setups, then the Corsair CX650M is a great option. It’s incredibly cheap, has a 54A rating on its +12V rail, is semi-modular, and comes with an 80Plus Bronze rating.Learn More

TECH SPECS

WATTS

650W

+12V RAIL

54A

MODULAR?

Semi

RATING

80Plus Bronze

WARRANTY

5-Years

Corsair CX650M Review

Corsair’s CX650M rounds out this list and while it’s not the best overall power supply in this range, it is solid enough for most single video card setups and it won’t break the bank as well.

It is only 80Plus Bronze certified, but it does have a +12V rail with a rating of 54A, which, again, will be suffice for most single video card setups.

It also comes semi-modular and with a 5-year warranty. And, since Corsair typically has excellent customer support for their products, if something should go wrong, you can rest assure that they will take care of the problem.

Ultimately, though, even if you’re going with a high-end video card like a GTX 1070, a quality 550W power supply will still provide enough power to allow you to do so. So, if you want to save even more money, you definitely can.

400-600W POWER SUPPLIES

This range of power supplies is the most practical for the majority of gamers.

If you’re building a budget system, a 450W power supply will more than do the trick.

Even if you’re going with a powerful video card like the RX 580 or GTX 1070, a quality 550W unit like the ones listed in the chart below will get the job done.

So, the bottom line is that, unless you’re building an extreme setup that utilizes multiple video cards (or plan to in the future) the power supplies in this list are probably the route you want to go.

400-600W PSU REVIEWS (CLICK ‘READ REVIEW’ TO EXPAND)

The EVGA SuperNOVA 550 GS is the perfect combination of affordability, performance, and efficiency. With 45A on the +12V rail, a fully modular design, and an 80Plus Gold rating, you can’t go wrong with this unit at the price it comes in at.Learn More

TECH SPECS

WATTS

550W

+12V RAIL

45A

MODULAR?

Fully

RATING

80Plus Gold

WARRANTY

5-Years

EVGA SuperNOVA 550 G3 Review

EVGA has pretty much dominated this list… and rightfully so as their SuperNOVA line of power supplies are well-made, extremely efficient, perform well, and are affordable for what they provide.

The EVGA SuperNOVA 550 G3 is no different…

At 550W it provides 45A on the 12V rail, which is plenty for just about any single card setup. And, it comes with a fully modular design and an 80Plus Gold rating.

Throw on top of that a 5-year warranty and you have a really solid unit for under ~$70.

The 650W unit, though, is sometimes only a few bucks more. So, definitely check out the difference between the two when you go to buy, just in case you can get the next unit up for a similar price.

However, if the price is considerably lower on this 550W version than on the 650W version, going with the 550W unit is a good choice.

The SeaSonic G 550W PSU is a solid option overall, but because it doesn’t come fully modular like the EVGA unit listed above and because they are priced similarly, I’d say go with the EVGA unit instead. If, however, you see the G 550W go on sale, it might be worth grabbing.Learn More

TECH SPECS

WATTS

550W

+12V RAIL

45A

MODULAR?

Semi

RATING

80Plus Gold

WARRANTY

5-Year Limited

SeaSonic G 550W Review

The SeaSonic G 550W is also a solid option if you just need a high quality and dependable power supply that doesn’t cost a ton and will allow you to build a single video card setup.

An affordable PSU you can use if you are building a budget-friendly PC is the SeaSonic S12II 520. It has dual 20A +12V rails and comes with an 80Plus Bronze rating. It won’t serve as a high-end option by any means, but it should handle most single card setups just fine.Learn More

TECH SPECS

WATTS

520W

+12V RAIL

Dual 20A

MODULAR?

No

RATING

80Plus Bronze

WARRANTY

5-Years

Seasonic S12II 520 Review

The SeaSonic S12II 520 Bronze is another viable sub-600W power supply. It has dual 20A 12V rails and it can accommodate pretty much any single graphics card setup.

It does not come modular, so if you don’t want to deal with hiding extra cables, or don’t want to have a little bit more difficult of a time doing cable management, then you’ll probably want to consider one of the options above.

However, the S12II 520 is a bit cheaper than the other units listed above and if you need to save every penny you can, but still need a quality power supply, it would be a good option.

The Corsair CX550M is a 550-watt power supply with an 80 Plus Bronze rating. It has a 45.8A+12V capacity and an internal thermally-controlled fan to keep the performance stable. It works with all modern-day chipsets and GPU’s, comes with cables that are long enough to work with full-height tower cases, and is less than a $60 investment.Learn More

TECH SPECS

WATTS

550W

+12V RAIL

45.8A

MODULAR?

Semi

RATING

80Plus Bronze

WARRANTY

5-Year Limited

CORSAIR CX550M Review

If you’re looking for a modern power supply at a competitive price point, the Corsair CX550M is worth considering. It has an 80 Plus Bronze rating, which doesn’t make it the most efficient unit on the market, but certainly good enough—efficiency-wise—for budget-friendly builds.

This power supply has +12V rating of 45.8A and it comes with a thermally controlled 120mm fan to keep it quiet even while it’s processing larger loads.

It’s also a semi-modular unit, which will help out quite a bit with cable management and will contribute to a much cleaner-looking build. Also, at this price-point, there aren’t a whole lot of semi-modular options available, so this is one of the more affordable options that does allow for some modularity.

In terms of what kind of system this unit will work well in, it can easily accommodate a GTX 1060 or 1070, or an RX 570 or 580 with no problems. It’s not meant for high-end systems with power-hungry graphics cards or multi-GPU setups, but you can build a pretty powerful single-GPU setup with this unit.

It comes with a five-year warranty which is pretty standard for economical options like what you see in this category. The thermally controlled fan helps to preserve the life of the power supply, and it’s engineered to work at up to a 40-degree C, or 104 degrees F.

WHICH POWER SUPPLY IS RIGHT FOR YOU?

It would be silly to say that this is an end-all-be-all list of power supplies. There are simply too many great options on the market to list and provide a brief overview for every single one.

However, by taking price-to-performance into consideration, this list gives you 3-5 very solid options for each wattage range to help you make choosing a quality power supply for your next build that much easier.

Ultimately, you will need a quality power supply if you are planning on building a new gaming computer. Skimping on your power supply is never a good idea. Fortunately, if you stick to this list, you can’t go wrong.

Good morning. So I am building a pc. Don’t have a graphics card at the moment however just wanted to find out. Powersupplies, do they have different dimensions? The reason being is the one I had blew and my friend gave me a 300w power supply however it doesn’t fit dimension wise… Is this the same for every powersupply or is it just with the 300w ( sever power supply)?

Hello, I’ve been looking all over the place for a good deal on a decent psu since mine started failing a couple of days ago. I gotta say, it’s tiresome work and I still feel like I can’t tell a good deal from a bad one. Should I be concerned by the year in which the psu was released? Is it true that nowadays I should buy a gold certified psu If my budget allows me to? Or could a bronze psu be fine? I’m running an I7-4770 with a Zotac 1070 amp extreme, an SSD ans an HDD. I think I want q modular psu for sure, but there are some many options I feel lost. I would greatly appreciate specific recommendations. I’ll admit I’m writing this before reading the list just because I was compelled to do so by the first part of the article. I will read it too and continue to consider my options. Thanks in advance.

I’m trying to build a gaming PC for my 11yr old son for Xmas for under 600. I don’t wanna skimp him on his PC but I do not wanna overkill it n spend unnecessary money Either. He plays fort nite, Minecraft, etc. I have 600 to spend on a tower ne suggestions

As far as I know, there hasn’t been any official benchmarks that show the RTX-series power consumption. But, with that being said, I think it’s safe to say that an 850W would be fine for dual 2070s and probably even dual 2080s. The 1080 Ti’s minimum requirements for dual SLI is an 850W PSU, though, so if you wanted to be safe and be able to cover dual 2080s with no problem, you might want to consider a quality 1000W PSU instead.

What wattage PSU would people recommend for a pc built on an Asus Z370G mATX? I’m probably going to have an 8600k cpu (but would like a bit of headroom if I manage to save more for the 8700k). I’m thinking of starting with just one GTX1070 gpu and maybe add a second in SLI in the future. Storage wise I’m thinking something like a Western Digital Black between 2-4GB and a Samsung Evo 970 (250-500 Gb) M.2 SSD. It seems 600w would be fine with one GPU, but not so sure with two, but what if later down the line there’s a good GTX (or even RTX?) 2070/2080 and I decided to go all out? Or just get two midrange of the next series of cards in SLI? That’s why I’m leaning more towards 750watts. And is there much point in going modular when semi seems almost the same except it comes with the board power cable already, which iOS obviously going to be used, so what’s the point in fully modular? Thanks in advance people!

pliz help, i just built a pc with : i5 8500 1Tb hdd 120 ssd 16 gbram gtx1060 6gb and 3 case coolers, i didnt knew the psus are so important.So the guy from the shop put me a deepcool de580 . Is this any good?

A quality 500W unit would be more than enough to get the job done and give you some good overhead. You could go with a quality 550-600W unit, as well, and that would allow you to upgrade to a higher-end video card down the road and still give you plenty of overhead.

Essentially, a Bronze PSU will lose more power to heat dissipation than a gold power supply. The rating doesn’t necessarily note quality or reliability. However, because better components are required to get a better efficiency, Gold units are typically better units overall than Bronze units.

But, there are quality Bronze units out there if you’re looking for a budget PSU. Corsair’s grey CX units are one example.

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About Me

Hey, I’m Brent. I’ve been building computers and writing about building computers for a long time. I’m an avid gamer and tech enthusiast, too. On TechGuided.com and the Tech Guided YouTube channel, I review PC hardware, peripherals, and various tech products to help you find the right product for your needs. Have a question? Just leave one below on any of the posts on the site.